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Fed Parliament apologises for brutal forced adoptions

SALLY SARA: The Labor leadership controversy in Canberra has overshadowed a historic announcement. Earlier today, Julia Gillard delivered a national apology to victims of forced adoption.

It's estimated that as many as 150,000 babies were taken from their parents between the 1950s and the 1970s. Many victims of the practice say today's apology is long overdue.

From Canberra, James Glenday reports.

JAMES GLENDAY: Musician Mia Dyson played a song as a tribute. Men and women wept and hugged, and Julia Gillard delivered the words they'd been waiting decades to hear.

JULIA GILLARD: To you, the mothers who were betrayed by a system that gave you no choice and subjected you to manipulation, mistreatment and malpractice, we apologise.

(Sound of applause and cheering)

JAMES GLENDAY: More than 800 people who were affected by forced adoption packed Parliament's Great Hall for the apology.

Between the early 1950s and mid 1970s tens-of-thousands of babies were removed from mothers who were deemed unfit to raise children, mostly because they were young and unmarried.

The Prime Minister called the practice cruel, shameful and immoral.

JULIA GILLARD: We say sorry to you, the mothers, who were denied knowledge of your rights which meant you could not provide informed consent, you were given false assurances, you were forced to endure the coercion and brutality of practices that were unethical, dishonest and in many cases illegal.

JAMES GLENDAY: Many mothers were tricked into signing adoption papers and the practice was overseen by governments, hospitals, churches and even some charities.

Angela and Kerry were both taken from their parents. They say today's apology was a long time coming.

ANGELA: People were forced to give their babies up, they were drugged, they were shackled to their beds, there are so many stories.

KERRY: You know to have it said today after 50 years of absolute silence, like, it's been something that's been hidden for so long and as an adoptee you've been crushed every step of the way.

JAMES GLENDAY: Some state and territory governments have already said sorry for the practice. Today's apology was one recommendation of an inquiry into forced adoption which was led by Greens Senator Rachel Siewert.

RACHEL SIEWERT: It's not very often that you can get up in this place and know that this place has done such a wonderful job collectively together. It shows the best of this place that we have been able to work together to support people so terribly affected by these practices.

JAMES GLENDAY: Both Houses of Parliament have endorsed the apology. The Opposition Leader Tony Abbott spoke at the event and even reflected on his own past.

TONY ABBOTT: In 1977 someone very important to me had a baby that was adopted. A few years later, still unmarried, she had another baby that she raised herself because having surrendered one child she couldn't possibly do it again.

JAMES GLENDAY: But he was heckled for using the words "birth parents" - a term some in the audience found offensive.

(heckling in background)

TONY ABBOTT: I hear what... I hear you're saying. The last thing, the last thing I wish to do is to cause pain to people who have suffered too much pain already and I am happy to retract it.

JAMES GLENDAY: Victims of forced adoption say there is a lack of awareness in the community of what happened.

CHRISTINE COLE: And I think the use of the term forced adoption gets polarised, polarises the actual phenomena of what was going on. What was going on was kidnapping children, kidnapping newborn babies from their mothers at the birth, using pillows and sheets to cover their face.

JAMES GLENDAY: The head of the Apology Alliance, Christine Cole, says it's a historic day and she wants the Government to do more to reunite parents and children.

CHRISTINE COLE: We certainly need a central database because there are many adoptees who are undocumented, so they just turned up as if they've you know sort of landed here from some alien place.

JAMES GLENDAY: Sometimes sorry isn't enough. Even Julia Gillard conceded an apology will do little to erase all the trauma forced adoption has caused.

JULIA GILLARD: Because saying sorry is only ever complete when those who are wronged accept it. Through your courage and your grace the time of neglect is over and the work of healing can begin.

(Sound of applause)

SALLY SARA: That's sounds from the Great Hall in Parliament House in Canberra. The Prime Minister Julia Gillard ending that report from James Glenday.